Dispenser for flanged caps



2 Sheets-Sheet l W. E. AMBERG ET AL DISPENSER FOR FLANGED CARS Jan. 30, 1951 Filed Nov. 10, 1948 S die a Jan. 30, 1951 w, AMBERG E AL I 7 2,539,652

DISPENSER FOR FLANGED CAPS i ia 7 26 28 24 Z kpkrz nest within each other.

Patented Jan. 30, 1951 DISPENSER FOR FLANGED CAPS Walter E. Amberg, Beverly Shores, Ind, and :Stephan W. Amberg, Barrington, -Ill., assignors to Lily-Tulip Cup Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application November 10, 1948, Serial No. 59,374

Claims.

This invention is directed to dispensers for flanged caps which are particularly useful in capping machines.

Containers, such as paper containers, metal containers and the like, after filling are usually closed with a flanged cap. The container closing operation is normally carried out in a capping machine. The flanged caps normally used are of the non-nesting type, that is, they do not fit or As a result they cannot be neatly stacked, but are handled in an awkward nap-hazard stack. Due to the haphazard stacking it has been dimcult to dispense flanged caps, one at a time, from such stacks. Attempts have been made in the past to so dispense such flanged caps but they have beenlargely unsuccessful. As a result, the flanged caps have been manually individually applied to the containers before capping in most commercial operations.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a dispenser for flanged caps which will in a fool-proof manner dispense flanged caps, one at a time, from a hap-hazard stack of caps and thereby avoid the aforementioned difficulties occurring heretofore. The dispenser of this invention is particularly adaptable for use with a capping machine so that the latter may be rendered completely automatic and provide for foolproof operation.

In carrying out this object of the invention the dispenser for flanged caps preferably includes a vertically arranged magazine for receiving a hap-hazard stack of flanged caps and provided with a shelf at the bottom forward side to be engaged by the caps in the magazine, and a horizontal slide movable forwardly and rearwardly beneath the magazine and spaced therefrom to accommodate a flanged cap therebetween. The slide is provided with a mechanism for removing the bottom cap from the shelf upon rearward motion of the slide and for dispensing the removed bottom cap from beneath the shelf upon forward movement of the slide. An intermittently operated device is preferably provided at the rear of the magazine to ,free the rear portion of the bottom cap from the dispenser .so that the caps cannot hang up in the magazine. Such a dispenser operates successfully to deliver flanged caps one at a time regardless of the nature or make up of the hapehazard stack of caps. Because of its simple nature it may be applied to or made a part of a capping machine for supplying flanged caps, one at a time, to the capping mechanism thereof and thereby render the capping machine fully automatic in operation. The dispensing mechanism may be readily operated in timed relation to the capping mechanism.

Further objects of this inventionreside in the details of construction of the dispenser and the cooperative relationship of the component parts thereof.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art :upon reference to the accompanying specification, claims and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a flanged cap adapted to be dispensed by the machine of this invention;

2 is a vertical sectional view through the dispenser and associated capping mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of ,Fig. 2.;

Fig. v4 is an enlarged sectional view .of 1a portion of thedispenser illustrated in Fig. 1 and showing the parts in one position; and

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4, but showing the parts in another position.

Fig. -l illustrates a flanged :cap of the type to be dispensed by the machine of this invention. The cap is designatedat S and it is provided with a flange 9 which is adapted to be received over the open end of a container 43. The nature of the flanged caps is such that they will not nest or be received within one and another so that a stack of such .caps must necessarily be haphazard fin make up.

In Figs. 2 and 3 the dispenser is generally designated .at it and it is shown cooperatively related with a capping mechanism generally designated at H. The dispenser it includes amag- :azine it carried by a ring it which in turn is suitably carried by a support It. Posts l5 may extend upwardly from the ring I4 and form a continuation of the magazine It. The'bottom front side of the magazine is provided with a shelf IT .and the rearward side of the magazine is preferably open at it and is provided with a gate l9 pivoted at 2c. The gate 1931s providedwith an operating arm 2|. A stack of flanged caps 8 is adapted to be received in a nap-hazard manner in the magazine 13 and the stack of caps is supported therein by the shelf H. The gate 19 forming the rear portion of the magazine maintains the flanged caps on the shelf ll until they are removed therefrom.

Horizontally located below the magazine [3 is a slide 24 which is adapted to move forwardly and rearwardly. Theslide 24 is suitably mounted in the support It for forward and rearward r .c'iprocat-ing movement. The Slide 4 is spaced beneath the shelf ll of the magazine 33 so as to accommodate only one fianged cap therebetween. In other words, the spacing between the slide 26 and the shelf ii is greater than the thickness of one cap but less than the thickness of two caps. The slide 24 is provided with an opening 25 in the upper face thereof through which may extend a finger 28 pivoted to the slide 25 at 27. The finger 25 is weighted so that it is normally maintained in a raised position as illustrated in Fig. 2. The finger 23 is provided with a pin 28 adapted to extend through a slot 29 in the side of the slide 25 to operate against a stationary cam 39 carried by the stationary support l6. Thus, as the slide 24 is retracted to the rear position as illustrated in Fig. 2, the finger 2G is raised and when the slide 2 3 is advanced to the forward position as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the finger 26 is lowered. The raising and lowering action of the finger 26 is accomplished by the stationary cam 30.

The upper face of the slide 24 is also provided with an opening 2 through which a second finger 32 is adapted to project. The finger 32 is shown in the form of a bell crank lever pivoted at 33 to the slide 24. The depending edge of the finger 8 2 is adapted to engage stationary stops 315 and 35 at the extremities of the movement of the slide 24. Thus, when the finger 32 strikes the stop 34 it is raised as illustrated in Fig. 2 and when it strikes the stop 35 it is lowered as illustrated in broken lines in Fig. 4. The finger 32 is maintained in its raised or lowered position by a slipfriction connection between the finger and the slide.

The rear end of the slide 24 is provided with a cam 31 for engaging the actuator 2| of the gate 9 so that when the slide 24 is advanced the gate I9 is elevated for the purpose of freeing the rear portion of the bottom cap in the magazine. If the rear portions of the flanges of the bottom cap and the two or three caps adjacent thereto are nested, then the gate when it is raised in addition to freeing the bottom cap, also, permits the nested caps to pass therebelow.

The capping mechanism Ii may be carried by a bracket 40 which in turn may be carried by the ring it. The capping mechanism includes a conventional capping head 4| provided with fingers 32. The slide in dispensing a cap from the dispenser places it upon the fingers 42 whereupon container at is brought upwardly against the cap to move it against the capping head 4| whereby the cap is snapped in place upon the container.

The bottom cap of the stack of caps in the magazine [3 has its forward edge resting upon the shelf 4? and its rearward edge resting upon the slide 24. When the slide 24 moves rearwardly the finger 26 is raised to engage the rear portion of the flange of that bottom cap. The bottom cap is thereupon removed from the shelf I? to lie flat upon the slide 2 At the rear end of the movement of the slide 25, the finger 32 is raised by the stop 34. When the slide 2 3 is then moved forwardly, the finger 32 engages the forward portion of the removed bottom cap and carries it forwardly with the slide. During the forward movement, the finger 25 is lowered. The slide thereupon delivers the removed cap onto the fingers 52 of the capping mechanism, and when the remove-d cap is thus delivered to the capping mechanism, the stop 35 lowers the finger 32.

'When the slide reaches its forward position, the

cam 3'! operates the gate [9 to free the rear portion of the bottom cap in the event that 'it is hung up in the magazine. When thus freed the rear portion of the bottom cap falls upon the slide 2 to be picked up by the finger 26 adjacent the rearward end of the stroke of the slide M. In this way the cycle of operation is repeated.

In the event that the rear portions of the bottom two or three caps are nested, all these caps may be released by the gate l9, but in any event, the forward portions thereof will be retained by the shelf ii. In this event the finger 26 engaging the rear portion of the bottom cap may draw the other caps rearwardly therewith, but this makes no difference for the advance of the adjacent caps with the bottom cap by the finger 32 will be prevented by the shelf il'. Thus, regardless of how the caps are stacked in the magazine 53, it is only possible to dispense one cap at a time.

Fig. 2 illustrates a single cap removed from the shelf I? and carried rearwardly by the fingers 26 preparatary to forward dispensing by the finger 32. Fig. 4 illustrates a removed cap being delivered to the capping mechanism with the bottom cap in the magazine freed so that the rear portion thereof rests against the slide 24 ready to be picked up on the next cycle of operation of the dispenser. Fig. 5 illustrates the removed cap being carried forwardly by the finger 32. It will be noted that the next bottom cap in the magazine l3 has been removed from the shelf i? by reason of the operation of the gate I S and the rearward movement of the slide 2 3. However, that cap cannot be carried forwardly with the cap being moved by the finger 32 inasmuch as it strikes the shelf ll. It will have to be carried forwardly onthe next cycle of operation.

While for purposes of illustration, one form of this invention has been disclosed, other forms thereof may become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to this disclosure, and therefore, this invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention: I

l. A dispenser for flanged caps comprising, a vertically arranged magazine for receiving a stack of caps, a shelf at the bottom forward side of the magazine to be engaged by the caps in the magazine, a horizontal slide moveable forwardly and rearwardly beneath the magazine and spaced from the shelf by a distance less than the thickness of two caps, and a mechanism carried by the slide for engaging th inside rear portion of the flange of the bottom cap during rearward movement of the slide to remove the bottom cap from the shelf and for engaging the inside forward portion of the flange of the removed bottom cap during forward movement of th slide to dispense the removed bottom cap from beneath the shelf.

2. A dispenser for fianged caps comprising, a vertically arranged magazine for receiving a stack of caps, a shelf at the bottom forward side of the magazine to be engaged by the caps in the magazine, a horizontal slide movable forwardly and rearwardly beneath the magazine and spaced from the shelf by a distance less than the thickness of the two caps, a first finger carried by the slid for engaging the inside rear portion of the flange of the bottom cap during rearward movement of the slide to remove the bottom cap from the shelf, and a second finger carried by the slide for engaging the inside forward portion of the flange of the removed bottom cap during forward movement of the slide to dispense the removed bottom cap from beneath the shelf.

3. A dispenser for flanged caps comprising, a vertically arranged magazine for receiving a stack of caps, a shelf at the bottom forward side of the magazine to be engaged by the caps in the magazine, a horizontal slide movable forwardly and rearwardly beneath the magazine and spaced from the shelf by a distance less than the thickness of the two caps, a first finger carried by the slide for engaging the inside rear portion of the flange of the bottom cap during rearward movement of the slide to remove the bottom cap from the shelf, and a second finger carried'by the slide for engaging the inside ferward portion of the flange of the removed bottom cap duringforward movement of the slide to dispense the removed bottom cap from beneath the shelf, means for raising the first finger adjacent the end of the rearward stroke and lowering the same adjacent the beginning of the forward stroke of the slide and for raising the second finger at the end of the rearward stroke and lowering the same at the end of the forward stroke of the slide.

4. A dispenser for flanged caps comprising, a vertically arranged magazine for receiving a stack of caps, a shelf at the bottom forward side of the magazine to be engaged by the caps in the magazine, a horizontal slide movable forwardly and rearwardly beneath the magazine and spaced from the shelf by a distance less than the thickness of the two caps, a mechanism carried by the slide for engaging the inside rear portion of the flange of the bottom cap during rearward movement of the slide to remove the bottom cap from the shelf and for engaging the inside forward portion of the flange of the removed bottom cap during forward movement of the slide to dispense the removed bottom cap from beneath the shelf, and an intermittently operated device at the rear of the magazine to free the rear portion of the bottom cap.

5. A dispenser for flanged caps comprising, a vertically arranged magazine for receiving a stack of caps, a shelf at the bottom forward side of the magazine to be engaged by the caps in the magazine, a horizontal slide movable forwardly and rearwardly beneath the magazine and spaced from the shelf by a distance less than the thickness of two caps, a mechanism carried by the slide for engaging the inside rear portion of the flange of the bottom cap during rearward movement of the slide to remove the bottom cap from the shelf and for engaging the inside forward portion of the flange of the removed bottom cap during forward movement of the slide to dispense the removed bottom cap from beneath the shelf, and a gate at the rear of the magazine normally spaced from the slide by a distance less than the thickness of two caps and moved upwardly adjacent the end of the forward stroke of the slide to free the rear portion of he bottom cap.

6. A dispenser for flanged caps comprising, a vertically arranged magazine for receiving a stack of caps, a shelf at the bottom forward side of the magazine to be engaged by the caps in the magazine, a horizontal slide movable forwardly and rearwardly beneath the magazine and spaced from the shelf by a distance less than the thickness of the two caps, a first finger carried by the slide for engaging the inside rear portion of the flange of the bottom cap during rearward movement of the slide to remove the bottom cap from the shelf, a second finger carried by the slide for engaging the inside forward portion of the flange of the removed bottom cap during forward movement of the slide to dispense the removed bottom cap from beneath the shelf and an intermittently operated device at the rear of the magazine to free the rear portion of the bottom cap.

7. A dispenser for flanged caps comprising'a vertically arranged magazine for receivinga stack of caps, a shelf at the bottom forward side of the magazine to be engaged by the caps in the magazine, a horizontal slide movable forwardly and rearwardly beneath the magazine and spaced from the shelf by a distance less than the thickness of two caps, a first finger carried by the slide for engaging the inside rear portion of the flange of the bottom ca during rearward movement of the slide to remove the bottom cap from the shelf, a second finger carried by the slide for engaging the inside forward portion of the flange of the removed bottom cap during forward movement of the slide to dispense the removed bottom cap from beneath the shelf, means for raising the first finger adjacent the end of the rearward stroke and lowering the same adjacent the beginning of the forward stroke of the slide and for raising the second finger at the end of the rearward stroke and lower the same at the end of the forward stroke of the slide, and an intermittently operated device at the rear of the magazine to free the rear portion of the bottom cap.

8. A dispenser for flanged caps comprising, a vertically arranged magazine for receiving a stack of caps, a shelf at the bottom forward side of the magazine to be engaged by the caps in the magazine, a horizontal slide movable forwardly and rearwardly beneath the magazine and spaced from the shelf by a distance less than the thickness of the two caps, a first finger carried by the slide for engaging the inside rear portion of the flange of the bottom cap during rearward move ment of the slide to remove the bottom cap from the shelf, and a second finger carried by the slide for engaging the inside forward portion of the flange of the removed bottom cap during forward movement of the slide to dispense the removed bottom cap from beneath the shelf, and a gate at the rear of the magazine normally spaced from the slide by a distance less than the thickness of two caps and moved upwardly adjacent the end of the forward stroke of the slide to free the rear portion of the bottom cap.

9. A dispenser for flanged caps comprising, a vertically arranged magazine for receiving a stack of caps, a shelf at the bottom forward side of the magazine to be engaged by the caps in the magazine, a horizontal slide movable forwardly and rearwardly beneath the magazine and spaced from the shelf by a distance less than the thickness of two caps, a first finger carried by the slide for engaging the inside rear portion of the flange of the bottom cap during rearward movement of the slide to remove the bottom cap from the shelf, a second finger carried by the slide for engaging the inside forward portion of the flange of the removed bottom cap during forward movement 7 of the forward stroke of the slide to free the rear portion of the bottom cap.

10. A capping machine for capping containers with flanged caps comprising, a capping mechanism for placing the flanged caps one at a time on containers, and a dispenser mechanism for delivering flanged caps one at a time to the capping mechanism including a vertically arranged magazine for receiving a stack of caps, a shelf at the bottom forward side of the magazine to 10 be engaged by the caps in the magazine, a horizontal slide for delivering caps from the magazine to the capping mechanism and movable forwardly and rearwardly underneath the shelf, the slide being spaced from said shelf so as to accommodate a cap therebetween and a mechanism carried by the slide for engaging the inside rear portion of the flange of the bottom cap during rearward movement of the slide to remove the bottom cap from the shelf and for engaging the inside forward portion of the flange of the re- 8 moved bottom cap during forward movement of the slide to deliver the removed bottom cap from beneath the shelf to the capping mechanism.

WALTER E. AMBERG. STEPHAN W. AMBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: I

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,992,567 Compton Feb. 26, 1935 2,006,450 Graynor July 2, 1935 2,023,401 Block Dec. 10, 1935 2,060,967 Anderson Nov. 17, 1936 2,093,138 Riesebeck Sept. 14, 1937 2,188,759 Redd Jan. 30, 1940 2,264,738 Blann Dec. 2, 1941 2,309,929 Bronson H--- Feb. 2, 1943 

